I've noticed in the latest version of Windows 11 that the File Explorer layout has changed significantly. Now, the 'Home', 'Gallery', and 'OneDrive' sections are locked at the top of the left pane, and unfortunately, you can't reorder them. Instead, my pinned folders (the Quick Access area that many of us rely on) are buried down the list, almost like an afterthought.
While I don't mind having OneDrive visible since it's used daily in my office, I personally don't see the need for 'Gallery' and 'Home' to be above my pinned folders. It just feels like a design choice made by someone who hasn't actually used File Explorer in a productive setting for a long time.
I filed feedback about this issue, and I wonder if anyone has managed to find a workaround or if I'm missing out on any Group Policy or UX overrides that could help. It just feels like another instance of 'modern design' sacrificing utility for aesthetics.
5 Answers
Man, I feel ancient using Total Commander now, but hey, it gets the job done!
It seems like they’re making changes just to say they did something. It’s like new designers want to get credit for completely revamping things rather than fixing what already worked well.
I get what you're saying! The new File Explorer is pretty buggy too. I'm having random issues where it won’t even take input in the address bar unless I wait a bit or restart it. It’s like they took what worked in Windows 10 and decided to mess with it just for the sake of change.
Totally! Sometimes it’s just quicker to hit Win+R and paste the path instead.
I actually found a couple of registry tweaks that got rid of 'Home' and 'Gallery' for me! Here’s what you can try:
For 'Home':
```plaintext
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDesktopNameSpace{f874310e-b6b7-47dc-bc84-b9e6b38f5903}]
@="CLSID_MSGraphHomeFolder"
"HiddenByDefault"=dword:00000001
```
And for 'Gallery':
```plaintext
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDesktopNameSpace{e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}]
```
I don’t have OneDrive installed, so I can’t test that one, but hopefully, it helps!
I mean, it shouldn't have to come to registry edits just to make the UI usable, right?
Thanks for sharing! But yeah, why is it so complicated for something that should be straightforward?
Honestly, I can't stand the default File Explorer. It feels like trying to knit with one hand while being stuck behind a door. I've switched to Directory Opus, and I love it! Been using it for over 30 years!
Truth! It’s all about justifying their paycheck, isn’t it?